Suppose an employee, Jane, works for a company in the United States and experiences discrimination or harassment from a supervisor or coworker. Jane is afraid to report the behavior to her employer because she fears retaliation. However, after experiencing the discrimination or harassment for some time, Jane decides to quit her job and later seeks legal action against the employer.
Are there any federal or state laws that would protect Jane from retaliation, even if she didn't report the discrimination to her employer first? Additionally, are there any cases that have set precedent in similar situations?
Potential references:
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Supreme Court case: Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway Co. v. White (2006)
- State laws related to workplace retaliation (e.g., California Labor Code Section 1102.5)